The new Handy Toyota in St. Albans, VT continues to build

Another week has passed in the world of Handy Toyota of St. Albans and as you can see from the picture above the steel frame is taking shape for the new Handy Toyota facility.  The weather has been challenging but I must say the crew working on this element is the best.  Pete Conroy is the foreman and we could not ask for better.  The frame may be pre-engineered but is it no simple task putting it all together.  We are so excited to witness the day to day progress.  Pete and his crew are working feverishly knowing what lies ahead weather wise.  Next week I am hoping to have a picture for you of a completely framed structure ready for roof and sidewall covering.  If the weather cooperates, I am quite confident they will be successful in achieving this time line.

Last evening our sister store, Handy Chevrolet, played host to a Franklin County Regional Chamber of Commerce mixer.  Based on the number of folks who attended I would rate the mixer a big success.  As I was looking around the room it felt good to see the many people that share working in our business community here in the greater Saint Albans, Vermont area.  We all have a lot in common and in the final analysis we are all in business together.  Each merchant, restaurateur, banker, real estate broker/salesperson, manufacturer, health care provider, professional person, etc. work with the same folks in the same general area and in our own unique ways in an attempt to reach out to drive our businesses in a successful manner.  What these mixers are all about is to put us all in contact in a social setting with the goal that we will have the opportunity to network to our mutual benefit.  That said, I would agree that it worked for me and my opinion would be that it worked for most of the folks that attended.  In the future I will attempt to attend more of these functions.

My plan is to work outside all weekend as we will not have many more weekends before snow and (I cannot wait!) ski season will start.  Smuggler's Notch traditionally opens the day after Thanksgiving and that is only a few short weeks away.  My gear is ready and it will be good to be on the mountain for another winter in beautiful Vermont.

My time is up for this morning.  See you next week.

The best!

Dan Luneau
Handy Toyota
St. Albans, VT  05478

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My angels arrive!

The girls arrived on schedule this past Wednesday and have been staying with Karen along with their parents Annie and Peter.  Annie's brother Tommy is being married this afternoon so it is not a surprise when I say that everyone's schedule has been stretched a bit thin over the past few days.  Annie and Faye are in the wedding party, and little Faye is so nervous with her role as one of the flower girls that one would think she is the bride.  When she arrived home last evening from attending the rehearsal festivities all she talked about was being so nervous.  Apparently the fact that she is the shortest of the flower girls places her first to walk down the aisle.  My hunch is that she will handle her role just fine.

This coming Monday morning the framing crew will be on the job site preparing to erect the steel frame for the new Handy Toyota store.  The crew foreman was on site yesterday taking final measurements and based on his demeanor all appeared to be satisfactory.  With some cooperation from Mother Nature, by this time next week I am hoping to have a picture or two in my blog of the framing progress, but for now check out the image below to see the mostly completed foundation!  It feels so good to have progressed to this point.

October is off to a reasonably good start here at Handy Toyota of St. Albans, VT.  The Toyota service crew is starting to rev up to meet the demands of getting vehicles ready for the winter months ahead.  New Toyota and pre-owned vehicle sales are on a normal October pace as well, so all and all unless something unexpected pops up, October is on the way to a good month.

I must be short this week.  My job at the wedding this afternoon is to be in charge of our granddaughter Marie.  She is the sweetest one year old that I have ever known.  The joy that she brings to our family is incredible.  We are so fortunate to have her.

The best to all and please have a laid back enjoyable week end.

Dan Luneau
Handy Toyota
St. Albans, VT  05478

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What is with this weather?

While snow is not unusual in Vermont any time of the year (except maybe July) it has been a topsy-turvy couple of weeks for weather lately.  Two weeks ago our worst and most damaging snow storm of the year, last week hail, and yesterday cold with snow showers.  In between we've had some beautiful weather with some warm days and some cold, though, so it's not all bad.  Oh well who knows what's in store - we will have to wait and see.

For all those basketball fans, the Boston Celtics' Rajon Rondo put on a performance yesterday that will go down as one of the best of all time for the Celtics.  With the exception of Paul Pierce everyone stepped up their game, and Rondo scored over 20 points, had 15 rebounds, and dished out 18 assists.  What an incredible performance by a man who refuses to lose and who is, by the way, barely over six feet tall. Wow!

The other night Handy Toyota team was honored at the Franklin County Regional Chamber of Commerce's Annual Dinner and Silent Auction as the 2009 Large Business of the Year.  To quote Jamie West I can think of no business that is more deserving for the continued work in the community while providing good jobs to those willing to work.

The New York Yankees beat up the Boston Red Sox again, but these things have a way of turning themselves around as the season progresses.  I guess we will have to wait and see.  The Yankees, while playing great ball, still find themselves behind the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the overall stats.

On the cooking front I continue to experiment with Chicken Florentine recipes.  I will have something to report on the topic soon, but for now I'm finagling.  I might use this one for the Hood Cook-Off in Maine this November if it turns out well, and I am also working on different egg roll combination which look promising as well.

Kudo's to Al's French Fries for the recent prestigious James Beard Award.  They were voted one of America's Best Classic Restaurants.  I guess they do represent that 1950s and '60s era burger joint well!

Oh well that's it for this go round, but I will be back in the blogosphere soon.

Tom "the Blogmeister" Young

Handy Toyota

St. Albans, VT 05478